Method and apparatus for storing failing part locations in a module

• US 7,890,819 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Prak, Sovandy N., Charlton, David E., Robinson, Keith E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITT, CYNTHIA H
• Application Number:
  US11/725,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 714710-711, 714/718, 714/719, 714/723, 365200-201
• US Class Current: 714/710
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/4402 Internal storage of test result, quality data, chip identification, repair information
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/44 Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/88 with partially good memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/886 combining plural defective memory devices to provide a contiguous address range, e.g. one device supplies working blocks to replace defective blocks in another device
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports

Abstract

A non-volatile storage device on a memory module comprising a plurality of memory devices is used to store the locations of defective parts on the memory module, such as data query (“DQ”) terminals, identified during a testing procedure. After testing, the non-volatile storage device, such as an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (“EEPROM”), may be accessed to determine specific memory devices such as dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) which need to be repaired or replaced rather than re-testing the specific memory module.

Claims

1. A memory module, comprising:

a memory module carrier substrate;

a plurality of device locations on the memory module carrier substrate, each device location configured for disposition and replacement of a discrete memory device;

a plurality of discrete memory devices, each discrete memory device disposed at one of the plurality of device locations; and

at least one discrete non-volatile storage device disposed on the memory module carrier substrate and configured for storing information indicating a failure status of each of the discrete memory devices at each of the plurality of device locations.

2. The memory module of claim 1, wherein at least one discrete memory device of the plurality comprises at least one replacement memory device at a device location of at least one former memory device on the memory module carrier substrate having an indicated failure.

3. The memory module of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete memory devices are fully functional dice.

4. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the at least one discrete non-volatile storage device is one of an EEPROM, an EPROM, a ferro-electronic device and a Flash memory chip.

5. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the failure status includes an indication of at least one failed output of the discrete memory device at the device location.

6. A method of testing a memory module, comprising:

testing a memory module including a memory module carrier substrate with a plurality of device locations and a plurality of discrete memory devices, each discrete memory device disposed at one of the plurality of device locations;

defining information for each device location of the plurality, the information indicative of a failure status for the discrete memory device disposed at that device location;

storing the information in at least one discrete non-volatile storage device disposed on the memory module;

accessing the information and identifying a failing device location of at least one failing discrete memory device;

physically removing the at least one failing discrete memory device; and

disposing a replacement memory device at the device location of the at least one failing discrete memory device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

testing the memory module includes testing discrete dice as the discrete memory device;

physically removing the at least one failing discrete memory device comprises removing at least one discrete die; and

disposing a replacement memory device comprises disposing a replacement die.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein storing the information comprises storing the information on at least one discrete non-volatile storage device selected from the group consisting of an EEPROM, an EPROM, a ferro-electronic device and a Flash memory chip.

9. A method of fabricating a memory module, the method comprising:

disposing a plurality of discrete memory devices at a plurality of device locations on a memory module carrier substrate;

testing at least one aspect of each of the plurality of discrete memory devices;

storing information indicative of at least one device location of at least one failing discrete memory device of the plurality of discrete memory devices;

subsequently accessing the stored information;

removing the at least one failing discrete memory device indicated by the stored information; and

disposing at least one substitute discrete memory device at the device location of the at least one failing discrete memory device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising testing the at least one substitute discrete memory device on the memory module carrier substrate.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

testing at least one aspect includes testing at least one aspect of dice as the discrete memory device;

removing the at least one failing discrete memory device comprises removing at least one die; and

disposing at least one substitute discrete memory device comprises disposing at least one substitute die.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein storing the information comprises storing the information on at least one discrete non-volatile storage device selected from the group consisting of an EEPROM, an EPROM, a ferro-electronic device and a Flash memory chip.

13. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory module operably coupled to the processor and comprising;

a memory module substrate including a plurality of device locations, each device location configured for disposition of a discrete memory device and further configured for replacement of the discrete memory device;

a plurality of discrete memory devices, each discrete memory device disposed at one of the plurality of device locations; and

at least one discrete non-volatile storage device disposed on a memory module carrier substrate and configured for storing information indicating a failure status of each of the discrete memory devices at each of the plurality of device locations.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein at least one discrete memory device of the plurality comprises at least one replacement memory device at a device location of at least one former memory device on the memory module carrier substrate having an indicated failure.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete memory devices are fully functional dice.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the at least one discrete non-volatile storage device is one of an EEPROM, an EPROM, a ferro-electronic device and a Flash memory chip.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the failure status includes an indication of at least one failed output of the discrete memory device at the device location.